To submit a visa application, the applicant may book an appointment on the website http://visa.finland.eu, by email info.FinlandUEA@vfshelpline.com or calling the Call Centre +971 4 205 5907. The Call Centre operates in English and in Arabic (Sunday-Thursday 9.00 – 15.00).

Schengen visa is a permit to enter the Schengen area for a temporary stay. A visa holder is not allowed to work. Visa holders may move freely within the Schengen area during the validity of the visa. The maximum period of stay is 90 days during 180 days from the date of entry. Visas can be issued for single, double or multiple entries.

UAE nationals do not need to apply for a Schengen visa to travel to Finland or other Schengen countries. It is sufficient to produce a valid UAE passport at the port of entry of any of the Schengen countries. The Emirati passport should be valid for at least three months at the intended time of departure from the Schengen Area. The passport must have been issued within the previous 10 years. UAE nationals will be allowed to stay for up to 90 uninterrupted days, within a period of 180 days. Non-Emirati nationals accompanying UAE nationals must make sure to obtain a Schengen visa before traveling, if required, as the visa waiver is only for UAE nationals.

Applications for Schengen visas are always applied from the Embassy or Consulate of the country of your MAIN DESTINATION (the country you will stay most of your time). If no country is your main destination, you should apply for the Embassy or Consulate of the country of your FIRST POINT OF ENTRY TO SCHENGEN AREA.

Estonia

The Embassy of Finland in Abu Dhabi represents also Estonia for Shengen visas

Travelling to multiple countries

If you travel to many Schengen countries the information and documentation you provide has to cover all those Schengen countries you are going to travel (travel itineraries, hotel reservations, travel insurance, invitations etc.).

Note: Before submitting the form, please check that you have answered all questions. Incomplete applications will not be processed!

General Requirements

Do not apply earlier than three months before planned travelling date.

Personal appearance of each applicant is required every time.

Completed, dated and signed visa application form.

One recent color passport photo (with a light background) for each applicant, not older than six months, size of the photo 35x47 mm, size of the face in the photo 25-35mm from the top of the head to the tip of the jaw. It is must that the photo fulfills these requirements.

Valid passport or other acceptable travel document. Passport or travel document must be valid for at least 3 months after the journey's completion date. Passport needs to have been issued within the last 10 years and must have at least two blank visa pages.

Copy of the information page of the passport ot travel document and copies of any pages with markings on them, e.g. previous visas, arrival and departure stamps etc.

Foreign nationals residing in UAE: copy of valid residence permit. The residence permit needs to be valid for 3 months after the travel dates.

Proof of a valid flight ticket reservation. The reservation needs to be valid during the entire application process. ATTN: Invalid travel reservations are sufficient grounds for negative visa decision

Proof of sufficient funds. Bank statement covering the last 3 months. Statements of more than one account can be presented. The bank statements provided cannot be more than 5 days old. The statement should bear the appliicant's name and address.

An invitation letter from your host (organization, company, person etc.) as proof establishing the purpose of the planned trip.

A confirmed hotel reservation or proof of other accommodation.

An employement letter stating information including status, salary, purpose of the trip and approval to leave.

Travel insurance for minimun of Euros 30,000 (please include a photocopy/original) to cover the hole period of the visa. Insurance must cover accidents, sickness and repatriation.

In the case of minors (under the age of 18) written consent of parent(s) or guardian(s) is required. Minors also need individual passports in their own names for the issuance of visas.

In the case of domestic staff, the applicant must have worked at least one year for the same sponsor and can travel only together with the sponsor.

Please note that the Embassy can request additional information or documents not mentioned here if necessary.

Note: When travelling to Finland the visa must be in a valid travel document. Valid visas in expired, invalidated or full passports are not accepted. The passport should not have been issued more than 10 years earlier.

EU/ETA -citizen's family members can have a visa free of charge. They are exempted from the obligation of having travel insurance. Other documents can be asked if necessary.

Visa fees

The visa application fee is 60 €. It is non-refundable and needs to be paid to the embassy bank account before submitting the application. Instructions are given with yout appointment booking. A paper copy of the receipt is required attachment to the application.

Visa processing time

Visa applications are to be submitted at least 15 days prior to your intended day of the travel. Please note that the processing time is 14 days. The visa application can be submitted three months before intended departure.

Note: The embassy gives no information regarding the status of the application during the visa handling process.

Visa decision

The applicant is contacted when the visa decision is ready. Information regarding the the application is given to the applicant only.

Visas can be issued in accordance with the requested type and duration, shorter than the requested duration, with single, double or multiple entries, or the visa can be refused. Refused visa decision is given in a letter.

Appealing against a visa decision (Rectification)

The recipient of a decision made by a Finnish mission to refuse, to annul or to revoke a visa (otherwise than at the request of the visa holder), may request rectification of the decision from the mission. Instructions for a rectification request are appended to the decision. The rectification request must be lodged within 30 days of notice of the decision on the visa application. THE RECTIFICATION REQUEST MUST BE MADE ON WRITING IN FINNISH OR SWEDISH.

A decision of a Finnish diplomatic or consular mission on a rectification request may be appealed to the Helsinki Administrative Court. The right of appeal applies to rectification request decisions that are made on 1 April 2016 or later. Instructions for appeal are appended to the decision on the rectification request. The appeal document must be lodged with the mission that made the decision. The mission submits all the appeal documents to the Helsinki Administrative Court. The appeal must be lodged within 30 days of notice of the decision on the rectification request. The appeal must be made in writing in Finnish or Swedish. The Administrative Court fee of the appellate proceedings is EUR 250.

In visa matters relating to the free movement of EU citizens and their family members, the applicant may appeal to the Administrative Court without a rectification request procedure.

Airport Transit Visa

As of 01/09/1997 certain nationalities need to have airport transit visa when travelling within the European countries. Additional to the above mentioned requirements the applicant should have a valid visa to the intended destination, and must present a return ticket.

* Please check with your nearest Embassy or Consulate prior to your departure in order to collect the airport transit visa if it is needed.